


Lifelines

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Action/Adventure, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-03-24
Updated: 2001-03-24
Packaged: 2019-05-15 23:05:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14799689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Another Edith Lyman Mystery.





	1. Lifelines

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

DISCLAIMER: These characters, besides the few I made up, do not belong to me.   
They never will belong to me, despite all the wishing I might do. I'm not  
getting any money for this or anything else except boredom relief, so please  
don't sue. I have five dollars in my checking account. 

SUMMARY: A recovery from the events of Lilac. 

CATERGORY: Josh/Donna, new character 

ARCHIVE: okay 

RATING: Hmm... PG13, I guess. There's no T&A or blood and guts in it, so you're  
safe there. 

NOTE: This is the third story featuring Edith Lyman. I recommend reading  
Shelter from the Storm and Lilac first before you read this. Enjoy, and gentle  
feedback always appreciated. Thanks!

  


Lifelines

Outside it was a calm spring morning, rosy sunlight falling on the marble  
monuments of Washington DC, basking the city in its warm glow. Perfect pink  
cherry blossoms had begun to bloom, and wisps of cloud spread across the  
deepening azure of the sky. Though the air retained much of winter's chill, the  
thaw of the earth had brought its new green grass into the city, in the park as  
much as between the concrete slabs of sidewalk. 

Inside, large panels of glass windows filtered the sunlight, and though it was  
still rosy, it failed to bask Joshua Lyman in its warm glow. He didn't notice  
the cherry blossoms or the wispy clouds or the new green grass. He didn't  
notice the azure blue of the sky, either, with his back turned towards those  
windows and his worried gaze nailed to the hallway where the surgeons would  
appear with news of Donna. 

Edith had said she was okay. Why couldn't she have been okay? The doctors  
said she'd be okay, but she was still in surgery. How okay could it be if she  
was still in surgery? They said the internal bleeding was minimal, but it was  
lucky they caught it in time. But she was still in surgery. What if they were  
wrong? What if there was more bleeding? Why couldn't she have just been okay? 

Josh squeezed his eyes shut and then reopened them to again stare down that  
hallway, both impatient for and dreading the arrival of a scrub-clad figure  
heading his direction. For the first time in many long years, Josh found  
himself silently praying. She had to be okay. Please be okay, Donnatella.

  


"What happened? I saw your partner in the emergency room." 

Edith Lyman turned around to face the voice at her shoulder. "Hey, Toby.   
Frank's fine, just a broken arm. Boreman tried to take him down, and managed to  
slam his arm into something hard. He's lucky it wasn't his head, although not  
much in this world is harder than Frank Thompson's head." 

"Is that when he shot him?" 

"Yeah." Edith turned back around as Toby Ziegler came up and stood beside her.   
They stood against the far wall of the waiting room, near the windows. Josh was  
seated near the door, where he kept a studious eye on the hallway that lead to  
the operating room. 

"How is he?" 

Edith sighed. "I honestly don't know. But I can tell you that right now he  
needs nothing more than to be left alone until we have some news of Donna." 

"Yeah." Toby studied her face for a few moments. "What about you?" 

"Huh?" She turned her head to look at him. 

He adjusted his stance against the wall, and threw the coat he'd been holding  
over the back of a nearby chair. "I said, what about you? Are you okay?" 

"I'm fine, Toby. I'm not the one who's in surgery, or the one who's suffering  
from PTSD." 

"No, but you're the one who'd been evaluating this case from the beginning.   
You're the one who's taking blame on herself, although why I don't know." He  
tilted his head at her. 

"How'd you know I was taking the blame on myself?" 

"You have the same expression Josh wears when he's blaming himself for  
something stupid. And when it's actually merited, he never seems to think it's  
his fault. I'm extrapolating here, I know, but you and Josh seem fairly  
similar." 

She threw him a half-smile. "True. No, honestly, Toby, I'm fine. I just...I'm  
still recovering from the shock and everything, but...I'll be okay. I heal  
quickly." 

"Okay," he said. They stood in a comfortable silence for a little while, both  
watching Josh as he watched the hallway. Edith sincerely liked Toby, even  
despite the gruff exterior he presented. He was someone who was completely  
honest with her, and was willing to argue with her when he thought she was  
wrong. Which, actually, was the first conversation they had; an argument over  
some issue she couldn't even recall at the State Dinner Josh had taken her to  
when she first came into town. 

Apparently there were few people willing to engage in a full-fledged argument  
with Toby Ziegler. She remembered Josh teasing her that she'd won the complete  
and utter respect of the entire senior staff. Including Toby. After that  
argument, it seemed to develop into another one of her 'instant friendships'. 

Toby nudged her, and she looked up to see one of the surgeons talking to Josh.   
They approached in time to hear Josh say "Can I see her?" and Edith inwardly  
sighed in relief. Donna must be okay. 

"Is she okay?" Toby interjected before the surgeon had the chance to answer  
Josh. 

"Donna's fine," the woman said. She had a pleasant voice. "The bleeding  
didn't cause any serious damage, but we wanted to check everything twice. The  
operation wasn't major, so she should be recovered enough to be released in a  
few weeks. But her strength won't be top shape for a while longer." 

"Can I see her?" Josh repeated. 

"She's still unconscious from the anesthesia, and after she comes up from that  
she really should get some rest. It would be better if you came back tonight or  
tomorrow." 

"Doctor, can I see you for a sec?" Edith asked before either Josh or Toby had a  
chance to loose their tempers. 

"Of course." 

Edith drew the woman aside from the other two and spoke in a quiet voice.   
"Look, I know you did a fabulous job with Donna's surgery. I know you're  
looking out for your patient's best interests. So am I. I'm sure you remember  
last spring when that man was brought in with a near-lethal gunshot wound." The  
surgeon thought for a moment, then nodded. "That woman you just operated on was  
there day in and day out by his side, and he intends to do the same. Look, Doc,  
� and this is confidential and off the record, by the way � those two mean more  
to each other than anyone else. Trust me when I tell you that the best thing  
for Donna Moss right now is Josh Lyman." 

The blue scrub-clad surgeon studied her for what felt like a small eternity,  
obviously trying to reach a decision. Edith waited patiently for the shorter  
woman with her graying brown hair to finally speak. "Okay. He can see her on  
the condition that he doesn't keep her from resting." 

Edith smiled. "Thank you, Doctor." 

The surgeon grabbed her arm as she started to turn back to Josh and Toby.   
"And...I really shouldn't do this, but I'll tell the staff that Mr. Lyman has  
unrestricted access." 

Edith felt like hugging the woman. Instead she just let her smile widen.   
"Thank you." 

The woman nodded and raised her voice to reach Josh. "I'll send a nurse to  
show you to Ms. Moss's room, Mr. Lyman." 

Josh visibly relaxed, and Toby let go of Josh's arm, which he didn't even seem  
to realize the other man had a grip on. "Thank you," he said. The surgeon  
left, and a few minutes later was replaced by a nurse who started to usher Josh  
down a different hall. 

"Josh?" Edith called. 

He turned around. "Aren't you coming?" 

She shook her head. "No, I'm going to let you take care of her. I've  
got some residual stuff to take care of. If she wakes up soon, tell her that  
I'll stop by tonight. And I'll have someone bring you clothes, okay?" 

Josh closed the distance between them and embraced his cousin. "Thank you,  
Edith. For everything." 

"Yeah," she said as she hugged him back. She drew away and smiled. "Go take  
care of Donna, you big lug." 

For the first time since this whole thing started, Josh smiled. "I will." He  
looked at Toby, who was standing silently to the side. "Thank you, too, Toby." 

"You're welcome, Josh. Just don't hug me." 

Had it been different circumstances, Josh would've laughed. "Go home, both of  
you. Get some sleep." And then he vanished down the hall, led by the nurse in  
his green scrubs. 

"There's a diner across the street. The others are over there. Breakfast's on  
me," Toby said at her shoulder as she watched the disappearing Josh. 

She turned to look at him. "Alright, but keep your hands to yourself, buddy.   
I'm not that kind of girl." 

He smiled. "I'm not that kind of guy." 

Edith returned the smile, relieved that she once again had the ability to crack  
a joke. "What about my paperwork?" 

"It can wait." Toby extended his arm. 

"Yeah," she said as she threw one last glance down the hall, "there are more  
important things." 

"Like my stomach." 

She smirked. "Let's go." 

TBC

 

 

  


	2. Lifelines 2

 

SEE PART ONE FOR DISCLAIMER AND INFO  
PART 2

  


"Sam, why don't you just ask me for my biscuit instead of your pathetic  
attempt at stealthily stealing it?" CJ Cregg said around a mouthful of eggs as  
she slapped Sam's hand for the second time. 

"Would you give it to me if I asked?" Sam Seaborn asked as he rubbed the back  
of his hand. 

"Can I just say that you're both acting like five-year-olds?" 

"Shut up and eat your waffles, Charlie." 

"They're pancakes, CJ." 

"Whatever. And put my biscuit down, Sam!" 

"Guys." 

The three looked up as Toby entered with Edith. "Hey, Edith," Charlie said. 

She smiled. "Hey, Charlie. You guys heard?" 

Sam nodded. "Toby called us on his cell phone. And he told us that we  
probably couldn't see her until tonight, so we thought we'd grab breakfast while  
CJ decided whether to get her a bouquet of daises or tulips." 

"Tulips are Donna's favorite flower," CJ explained. 

Edith and Toby joined the table. "Yeah, I know. Last week she went to visit  
her friend who's a florist. They're all over our apartment. The President went  
back to the White House?" 

"Yeah," Charlie said. "Leo went with him, but he said he'd be back as  
soon as possible. He had me notify Donna's parents in case anyone else had  
forgotten." 

Edith winced. "Damn, I knew there was something I had to do." 

"He also had me offer to send Air Force One to fly them down here." 

The rest of the table all blinked. "What?" Toby said. 

Charlie took a big bite of his pancakes. "Yep. Needless to say, even though  
they said that they didn't want the President to go through so much trouble � as  
Mrs. Moss put it � the First Lady is going to take a small, private plane on an  
unscheduled trip to Madison, Wisconsin, later today." 

Edith laughed. "Have I mentioned yet today that I adore the First couple?" 

"I wonder what Donna's parents are like?" Sam mused. "And where's Josh?" 

"They seem like sweet people. A little old-fashioned, but sweet. They worry  
about Donna ceaselessly, but I think it's mainly because Donna's siblings all  
stayed close to home and she was the only one to really leave." Edith ordered  
an omelet as the waitress came up beside her. "And Josh is with Donna." 

"I thought Toby said no one could see her until tonight?" CJ said. 

"Well, everyone except Josh." 

"Okay." CJ took a big swallow of orange juice. 

Sam gestured with a piece of the biscuit he had finally managed to steal from  
CJ, who glared at him. "I probably shouldn't ask, Edith, but...why Donna?" 

Edith chewed on her lower lip for a moment, reminding herself that it wasn't  
her fault. "It was her perfume." 

"What?!" CJ exclaimed incredulously. 

"Her perfume." Toby repeated in disbelief. 

"Yeah." Edith took a sip of the coffee in front of her and launched into a  
brief version of Edward Boreman's background information and her own analysis.   
The other four at the table just stared at her, perhaps unwilling to believe  
that such a person truly existed. 

"Okay," CJ interjected, "that explains the whole woman-is-evil thing, but what  
happened to make him into such a control-freak?" 

"According to the information Frank gathered, Boreman had five sisters from his  
father's previous marriage. After Boreman's mother split, the sisters basically  
controlled his life." Edith sighed. "And in conjunction with Frank's initial  
analysis, six other cases have surfaced in southern Virginia, southeastern  
Pennsylvania, and western Maryland attributed to Boreman. Even though he's dead  
now, local police there are using our evidence to pin the crimes to him so we  
can rule out the possibility of Boreman being a copycat." 

"Is that how he justified getting involved on a case with less than three  
victims in the first place?" Toby asked. 

"Yes," Edith confirmed. "We had strong psychological evidence to indicate that  
this wasn't the first time he'd committed this act. Frank had some people  
searching the database pretty soon after the initial analysis." 

"Wow," Sam said. "Sometimes you almost think that maybe all the evil in the  
world isn't really as bad as people think it is. Then something like this  
happens." 

Edith reached across the table and laid a hand on Sam's arm. "I know." 

"So again, daisies or tulips?" 

"If it's Donna's favorite flower, why are we even asking the question, CJ?"  
Toby said as he took a bite of toast. 

"Aren't you supposed to send daisies when someone's in the hospital?" 

"Why don't you just send both?" 

"Very good suggestion, Charlie. Sam! Stop stealing my biscuits! Why don't you  
just get your own?" 

"Because it's more fun to steal yours." 

Charlie turned towards Edith. "I saw your partner in the emergency room. Is  
he okay?" 

She smiled. Charlie Young had to be one of the sweetest and most competent  
people she'd ever met. "Yes, Charlie, Frank's fine. Just a broken arm,  
although I'm sure he'll find a way to whine about it for another month or so." 

"Frank," CJ said thoughtfully, "Isn't he the guy that looks like Stephen  
Dorff?" 

Edith nodded and laughed. "I guess, yeah." A bit of her mischievous nature  
started to reemerge. "You want his phone number?" 

CJ tilted her head thoughtfully for a moment. 

"Yeah," Sam said, "'cause you could always tell him that thing about you being  
good in bed." 

"I would just like to state for the record that I am now officially ignoring  
this conversation." Toby sipped his coffee. 

"Well I am good in -" 

"CJ," he said warningly. 

"I'm going to just eat my pancakes, if that's okay with everybody." 

"I think I'll join you on that note, Charlie." Edith took another big bite of  
her waffles, and smiled as Sam and CJ started in on each other again. 

And Toby just drank his coffee.

  


The room was dark when he entered, save for the small lamp on the bedside  
table. The blinds were closed, shutting out the warm sunlight from here as  
well. He barely noticed these things, however. Josh's attention was riveted on  
the figure in the hospital bed; quiet, still, but her chest moving with a  
steady, reassuring rhythm. An IV ran from her left arm up to the stand with its  
plastic bag of what Josh termed 'hospital juice' during his own extended visit. 

He there, staring at Donna for a good few minutes, just basking in the relief  
of her continued life. He noticed a bruise on her cheekbone, felt a momentary  
upwelling of anger, and knew � that as much as it was wrong of him to think so �  
had Boreman not already been dead, Josh would've been in serious danger of  
putting him in that condition. Or close to. No one had any right to any woman  
� any person � like that, let alone Donnatella Moss. 

Josh quietly pulled a chair beside the bed, and just as quietly eased himself  
into it. He didn't care how long he had to wait; he would be there when she  
woke up. Donna had been the first face he remembered seeing after his surgery.   
Donna had been there, the one constant he could rely on in a world that seemed  
to shift under his feet. She'd worked her way into his heart without him even  
noticing, and he knew then that after Rosslyn, Donna had become more vital to  
him that anyone ever had. 

Sure, he'd known he was attracted to her. He'd have to have been a monk or gay  
not to have been. But he'd been content to leave the attraction at the platonic  
level. He was her boss, she was his assistant; there wasn't much they could do  
about that. After Rosslyn, though, he and Donna had become something more to  
each other. Not just best friends, which was obvious. There seemed to be  
this...link...between them, like a... 

Like a lifeline. Donna Moss was his lifeline. 

Josh took her right hand in his and held it softly. He reached over and  
brushed a piece of hair off her forehead, and he also realized then that he'd  
have to be the same for her. He would be her lifeline if it took every last  
scrap of strength left in him. 

TBC

  


 


	3. Lifelines 3

 

SEE PART ONE FOR INFO  
PART 3

Lifelines - 3

"I have now officially developed an intense hatred of Jell-O." 

Josh took another sip of his coffee and leaned against the back of the chair.   
"Yeah. Sucks to be you." 

Donna glared at him. "So now who's full of warm support?" 

He smiled. "If it helps, I'll bring you a cup of coffee when you're allowed to  
have it again." 

"I'd settle for another cup of water. My throat still gets really dry." 

"You just had surgery two days ago, Donna. It's not surprising." Josh stood  
and poured her a half glass from the pitcher of lukewarm water the nurses had  
brought in. 

"Don't you have, you know, work?" Donna asked as she took another small nibble  
of some unidentifiable fruit-flavored gelatin. She gratefully took the glass  
Josh held out to her. 

He sat back down and shrugged. "I have the First Lady on my side." 

Donna smiled. "There's only so long that Abbey Bartlet can put the fear of God  
into the senior staff." 

Josh chuckled. "Speaking of which, she's coming to check on you later today.   
And I wouldn't worry about it. After all, the trade summit isn't until three  
weeks from now, and Sam and Toby were handling the bulk of that to begin with.   
There's an army of temps swarming all over my office, and in addition to that, I  
do own a laptop computer and a cell phone." 

"Still, you need to be checking into the office every now and then, if only to  
make sure they haven't messed up my filing system." 

"You have a system?" 

"Josh." Donna sipped at the water and eyed him. "I'm fine. Really." 

He got that odd expression in his eyes again. "I know." 

"I mean it." 

"I know. I just...I want to be here." He averted his eyes for a moment, then  
brought them back up to meet Donna's. 

Donna pushed the lunch tray aside and gingerly pushed herself into a more  
upright sitting position. She held out her arms. "Come here." 

Josh sat on the edge of the bed and carefully put his arms around her. He held  
her gently for what seemed like an eternity. Finally Donna lay back against her  
pillows that he'd propped up for her. Josh reached over and brushed a piece of  
hair out of her face. She caught his hand and held it. 

He smiled at her, a feeling unraveling in his chest that he'd only recently  
begun to recognize. As he held her hand he realized that there was absolutely  
no way they could hide behind their usual barriers now. There'd always been  
that line that they wouldn't � couldn't � cross, but that line had been ripped  
away, and there was no way they could pretend that it still existed. 

"I love you, Donnatella Moss," he whispered, and he leaned over to kiss her  
forehead. 

She closed her eyes as his lips brushed the top of her face. "I know." 

He drew back and looked at her. "'I know'?" he repeated. 

Donna smirked. "I love you, too, Joshua Lyman." 

He smiled and returned to his chair. "I know." 

As Josh reached for his coffee, he missed the fact that Donna had pulled her  
lunch tray back over to her. But he realized it as soon as the Jell-O missile  
she'd launched from her plastic spoon landed square in between his eyes (then  
proceeded to fall directly into his coffee). He raised an eyebrow at her and  
she grinned. 

Josh smiled back, then sobered for a minute. "Listen, Donna..." 

"Yeah?" 

He folded his arms as he leaned on the edge of the hospital bed. "This whole  
thing...it's like I'm in the middle of an unfamiliar room where all the lights are  
off. The only good thing is that I know where the light switch is, I just have  
to get to it." 

She studied him for a minute, and Josh didn't know whether to be relieved or  
frightened on some level that she actually understood him. "I'm the light  
switch, right?" 

"Yeah." 

Donna smiled. "Well, then. We'll just have to react like normal people do  
when dumped into an unfamiliar room with all the lights off." 

"That's something normal people do?" 

"Joshua." 

"I'm just saying... So what do we do?" He reached over and took a sip of  
coffee. 

"We take it slowly. One step at a time, to use an old cliché." Donna started  
working on her mystery gelatin again. 

Josh reached for her hand again, smiling. "Okay." 

"Hey, when you go back to the office later..." 

"I wasn't going to today, Donna." 

"Well you should. You probably forgot the Harrison Memo, not to mention the  
stats on �" 

He shook his head. "I don't believe it. You're in a hospital bed, and you're  
still being my assistant." 

"Well, it's better than moping." 

"True. All right, you win. I'll stop by the office when I run home to grab a  
shower." He gave her his best don't-argue-with-me look. Which he only half  
expected to work. "What did you want from the office?" 

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted you to tell CJ that I love the flowers." 

"Okay. Oh, I forgot to mention that the First Lady's bringing your parents  
with her." 

"What?!" Donna would've immediately sat up, but it hurt too much. 

"They were supposed to be here yesterday, but the weather around Madison was  
too bad for the First Lady's plane to land." 

Donna speared him with a look. "The First Lady went and picked up my parents?" 

Josh smirked. "Yep. That's nothing. You should've heard the President  
threaten to nail the hides of the doctors to the Oval Office door if anything  
went wrong with your surgery." 

"The President was here?" she squeaked. 

The smirk spread into a smile. "Yeah. Seems that I'm not the only one in the  
West Wing that's fond of you, Donnatella." 

"When are the First Lady and my parents supposed to be here?" 

Josh glanced up at the clock. "Not until around three." 

Donna sighed and leaned back against the pillows again. "Well, you'll  
finally get to meet the head-cases I grew up with." 

"I'll be the perfect gentleman and ignore the fact that they voted for  
Reagan." 

Donna smiled and poked at the gelatin. "Hey, taste this and see if you  
can identify it. I think it might be watermelon, but I'm not really sure." 

"No way you're getting me to taste that...stuff." 

"Josh..." 

"No." 

"You are absolutely obnoxious sometimes, you know that?" 

"I try." 

TBC

 


	4. Lifelines 4

 

SEE PART ONE FOR INFO  
PART 4

It was a quarter after three o'clock in the afternoon, though Donna had lost  
track of time. Josh had left around two and wasn't back yet. Donna suspected  
that once he stopped by the office he'd been bombarded. Though if she knew Josh  
(which of course she did) he'd be back soon. He'd left his laptop, though, and  
Donna had effectively persuaded a nurse to hand it to her and plug it in on the  
wall behind her. 

Donna looked up in surprise as the door opened and the First Lady of the United  
States entered instead of Josh. With her two bewildered-looking parents in tow. 

"How are you, Donna?" Abbey Bartlet picked up the chart at the end of the bed. 

"I'm fine, Mrs. Bartlet, thank you. I was just playing solitaire on Josh's  
computer." Donna shut the laptop down and moved the tray it sat on out of the  
way. 

Annabelle Moss held out her arms and quickly crossed the distance between the  
door and the bed. "Oh, Donna, we were so worried about you, honey." 

Donna blinked back tears. "I'm fine, Mom, really." 

Alexander Moss pulled over another chair from the table by the window.   
"Sweetheart, is there anything you need?" 

"No, Dad, I'm okay." 

"Well, your chart looks excellent," Abbey said, smiling at her. "And I see one  
of the nurses has scrawled a comment in the margins about the Jell-O." 

"I hate watermelon." 

Abbey laughed. "I see CJ finally settled on sending you daisies and tulips  
together." 

"Yes, ma'am." 

"Where's Josh?" 

Donna rolled her eyes. "Probably giving the temps in the office a headache.   
Either that or making them run screaming from the building. I'm sure he'll be  
back here soon, though." 

Her mother spoke up. "Mrs. Bartlet, I'd like to thank you again for all you've  
done for us." 

Abbey waved a hand. "There's no need to thank me. I've assigned one of my  
staff to drive you around, and arranged a hotel suite for you. No, no," she  
said as Donna's father started to protest. "I insist. Jed and I will pick up  
the bill and I won't hear another word on it." 

Apparently both her parents immediately understood that Abigail Bartlet was not  
a woman with which one successfully argued. "Thank you again from the bottom of  
our hearts, Mrs. Bartlet," her mother said, and her father nodded. 

"You're more than welcome. Donna, I hate to leave, but I'm supposed to be in  
San Francisco in a few hours." Abbey stepped over to the bed and gave Donna a  
small, quick hug. "Let one of my staff or Charlie know if you need anything,  
though I suppose Josh will be taking care of that. Speaking of Charlie, he and  
Zoey wanted to stop by tomorrow. Is that all right?" 

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you, Mrs. Bartlet." 

"You'll be up and out of here sooner than you think, Donna." The First Lady  
left the room, and Donna turned back to her parents. 

"Guys, I'm fine." 

They exchanged looks. "Honey, we know, we just..." Annabelle started. 

"We were worried, that's all." Alexander finished. 

Donna smiled. "Have I ever told you that it's really weird the way you two  
finish each other's sentences?" 

"Many times, dear." 

Donna plucked at her blanket for a minute. "I know that you want me to move  
back home and finish school and all that. I know that this is going to make you  
think even more that I'm in the wrong place." She held up a hand as her mother  
began to speak. "No, just listen." She looked at them. "I love you both very  
much. And Angie, and Leo, and Mike, and I miss you all. But please believe me  
when I say that I can't leave. I've found a part of myself here that I never  
knew existed. I belong here." 

They were silent for a few minutes, which made Donna a bit nervous. Finally,  
they reached some sort of silent agreement, which also made Donna deepen her  
suspicions of telepathy and a collective intelligence between them (fostered by  
too much Star Trek: the Next Generation as a kid). 

Apparently her father was the silently agreed upon spokesman. "Donna, we know  
this is where you belong. We didn't like it at first, and to tell you the  
honest truth, we still don't. But we have noticed that these past few years  
you've been a different person. You've been stronger, you've been healthier,  
and you've been happier. And whether that's due to this job, this town, or this  
man you work for, it doesn't matter. We want to see you happy, even if it means  
we still have to worry about you." 

Donna felt tears stinging her eyes. "Wow. You know, you two are the kind of  
parents that all kids should have." She smiled as � gently � both her parents  
leaned over and hugged her. 

"Well, we've been lucky with our children," Alexander said as he patted his  
daughter's hair. 

"Yeah," Donna said as she wiped the tears away from the corner of her eyes.   
"You know it's also really creepy the way you two refer to yourselves as 'we'  
all the time, right?" 

"Yes, dear." Her mother smiled. "But I think we've all accepted the fact that  
your father and I are not normal." 

"And here I thought all fathers ran naked through the front lawn when the first  
snow came." 

Alexander held up a hand. "That is an old family tradition, thank you,  
Donnatella. I've explained that more times than I care to recall." 

"Right, the whole endurance thing." Donna sighed. 

Annabelle smiled. "So I finally get to meet the infamous Joshua Lyman, huh?" 

"Can I give him the stern father thing that most fathers are supposed to do?" 

"He's my boss, Dad, not my boyfriend." 

"Oh. Okay." 

Annabelle smiled again. "Well, he's not yet." 

"Mother!" 

"I'm just saying..." 

There was a knock at the door, and it tentatively opened. "Hey, Donna?" Josh  
entered and closed the door behind him. He smiled at her, and she noted that he  
must've gone home and showered. He was dressed casually in khakis and a shirt  
instead of his suit. "I saw the First Lady on my way up." His gaze went to the  
two people by her bed. "You must be Donna's parents." Josh extended his hand.   
"I'm Josh Lyman." 

Her father was nearest to him and shook his hand first. "Alexander Moss.   
Pleased to finally meet you, Mr. Lyman." 

"Call me Josh." 

"I'm Annabelle. It is wonderful to finally meet you, though I wish it had been  
under better circumstances." Donna's mother shook Josh's hand and gave him a  
warm smile. 

"Have you two been settled into DC okay?" Josh asked. Donna repressed a  
smiled. He really could be charming when he felt like it. 

"Yes, thank you. The First Lady's seen to everything for us." 

"Yes," Alexander said. "She's been very kind to us." 

"Abbey Bartlet's an exceptional woman." He smiled and sat down in the chair  
he'd vacated earlier and caught sight of the computer. He raised an eyebrow at  
Donna. "I thought we agreed on no work for you for at least a few more days." 

"No, I believe you agreed on that all by yourself. And I also believe you  
forgot the Harrison Memo and the stats." 

"Which stats?" 

"The trade stats. And the stats on the gun bill, which we still haven't  
resolved." 

"Oh, those. Sam's bringing those down later." 

"Okay." 

"Okay." Josh looked from her to her parents. "Would you guys like some  
coffee?" 

"I'd love some," her father said. And looked suspiciously like he was  
trying to hide a smile. 

"Me, too." Annabelle was making no attempt to hide hers. 

Josh rose from the chair. "I'll go grab some." 

"I'll come with you," her father said, and the two of them left. 

Her mother looked at her with that smile, and raised an eyebrow. "So now  
I see why you want to stay in Washington." 

"Mother..." 

Annabelle held up her hand. "All right, I won't pry into your personal  
life. Yet." 

"Thank you." 

"But remember the last time you wouldn't let me pry, with that awful man  
and his stupid medical school �" 

"Mom." 

"Okay, dear." The smile returned. "But, my, isn't that Josh fellow cute?   
And very charming." 

Donna snorted. "When he wants to be." 

Her mother looked sad for a moment. "And to think that he nearly died  
last spring." She looked back at Donna. "You've both been through so much, and  
it's wonderful that you're there for each other. Without prying, I would just  
like to say that I hope you realize that there's something there between you  
that needs to be cherished. I know. Trust me. Look at how long your father  
and I have been together." 

Donna smiled. "I know." 

"He's got a cute butt, too." 

"Mother!"

"I'd like to say that I really like your parents, Donna. I met them this  
afternoon." 

"Thank you, Sam. I do, too." Donna yawned. 

Edith stretched. "We should go soon so Donna can finally get some sleep." 

"Yeah," Toby said. He surveyed the room. "You know, it's amazing to me  
that you haven't developed an allergy to tulips." 

"Did I thank you for the two dozen you sent me, Toby? And the teddy  
bear?" 

CJ snickered. "You sent Donna a teddy bear?" 

Toby shrugged. "It came with the arrangement. Don't women like fuzzy  
things?" 

Donna laughed. "I love the teddy bear, Toby. Thank you. And I also  
enjoyed the chocolate, CJ." 

"Well, I'm glad you can finally eat it." 

Edith pretended to pout. "Hey, I thought the cookie bouquet was extremely  
creative." 

"It was," Donna said. "But Josh ate it." 

Edith glared at him. "You and your damn cookie fetish." 

Josh shrugged. "So I like cookies. Sue me." 

Edith, Toby, and CJ stood. They'd been there for over three hours,  
chatting and celebrating Donna's last day in the hospital. CJ and Toby said  
their farewells and left. Edith lingered a moment longer. "I'll be out of town  
for the next few days, so I gave Josh my key and my bedroom." 

"Okay," Donna said. It showed how much Edith knew them that she gave her  
key to Josh instead of Donna's parents. It made Donna smile, and Josh  
definitely smirked. 

"Bye, Josh." 

"Later, Edith." She left, and Josh sighed. 

Donna yawned again. "So you're spending the night now. So much for  
taking it one step at a time." 

Josh looked at her. "Donnatella Moss, you are a bad girl at heart." 

"And you like it." 

He laughed. "True. But I promise I'll be the perfect gentleman again,  
if for no other reason than the fact that you may be getting out of the  
hospital, but you're not back to your full self yet." 

"Well, you just wait until I get back to my full self." She smirked. 

"Donna, I don't think we're �" 

"I know." 

"Just checking." He looked at her with that expression in his eyes that  
made Donna's stomach twist. But it was the kind of twist that also accompanied  
her heart skipping a beat and her breath slightly catching. "Donna, I do love  
you." 

"I know." 

"It's just the room..." 

Donna nodded. "With the lights out. How many times to I have to tell  
you that I do understand? As much as I may be your light switch, Josh, you're  
mine as well. I'm in my own room over here." 

Josh kissed her cheek. He still hadn't given her a 'real kiss'. He was  
too afraid that if he did he wouldn't want to stop. There'd be a time for that  
later on. "Edith's right." 

"She's right about many things, Josh. What specifically did you have in  
mind?" 

"Conversations between us are just plain weird." 

"Yeah. I'll see you at ten tomorrow morning?" 

Josh stood and put his coat on. "Yeah. Get some sleep." 

"Yeah. Josh?" 

He turned around at the door. "Yes?" 

"I love you." 

"I know." 

TBC

 


	5. Lifelines 5

 

SEE PART ONE FOR INFO  
PART 5

  


Edith had notified the building super about the apartment door, so when Josh,  
Donna, and the Mosses arrived the cross had been sanded down and painted over.   
Once they entered, Annabelle Moss surveyed the layout. Apparently Edith had  
decided to clean up before she left for Chicago, which was not a very common  
occurrence. 

"Isn't it cute?" Annabelle said, seating herself beside Donna, who'd lowered  
herself to the couch. "Wow. Nice couch." 

Alexander looked around as well. "You and Edith have it fixed up very nice,  
dear." 

Donna smiled. "Thank you." 

Annabelle looked at Donna. "Honey, are you sure you don't want to come home,  
just for a few weeks while you recover?" 

Donna hugged her mother. "I'm sure, Mom. I'll come home and visit soon,  
though." 

"All right. I love you, sweetie." She stood. "Call me if you need anything at  
all, or if you just want to talk." There was that smile again. "I promise I  
won't pry." 

Donna rolled her eyes. "Mom..." 

Her father leaned over and gave her a hug. "We'll call you when we get back so  
you don't worry about us. I love you, honey." 

"I love you, too, Dad." 

Donna remained on the couch while Josh saw her parents to the door. When they  
were out in the hallway, Annabelle turned to him and gave him a hug. "She won't  
say anything, but I can tell how much you two mean to each other." She drew  
back and gave Josh a level look. "I love my daughter very much, Josh. I  
suspect you do, too. So be careful with her. I don't think I can bear for her  
to have to pack up and leave somewhere again because of a man." 

"I'd cut off my own arm before I ever hurt Donna, Annabelle." 

The older woman nodded, her graying blonde hair tucked up in a French twist.   
Josh marveled at how much Donna resembled her mother. Annabelle had the same  
grace, and a bit of the same quirkiness. 

Alexander shook Josh's hand again. "Take care of my little, girl, Josh. I hope  
you don't take this personally, but if you do ever hurt her, you'll have to deal  
with a lot of unpleasantness from me." 

"I understand, Alexander. Have a safe trip, both of you." Talk about quirky.   
Donna's father took the cake. But Josh found that he liked both of them  
immensely. He liked Annabelle's quiet, soft voice and her knowing eyes, and he  
liked Alexander's pedantic, eccentric air. Most of all, though, he liked the  
way they seemed to be different halves of the same whole. He wondered if that  
was a future version of himself and Donna. He hoped so. 

"We will, Joshua," Annabelle said as they stepped outside. "Take care. And  
that invitation for a weekend at our house still stands. We'd love you to come  
up with Donna sometime." 

He smiled. "Only if you promise to come to Connecticut." 

Alexander grinned. "Deal, my boy. We'll work out the details later. Goodbye!" 

"Bye!" Josh called as they got in the taxi and left. He sighed and turned  
around to see Donna leaning against the apartment doorframe. She was smiling,  
with tears in her eyes. 

He walked over to her, and pulled her close. "Your parents are awesome,  
Donnatella." 

"I know." 

"So it's macaroni and cheese time?" 

"Yep." Donna patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I think you can figure out how  
to boil water." 

"I suppose you expect me to make coffee as well?" 

"Yes. Sam called. He'll be over later." 

"Okay. That's great." 

Donna frowned at him as he went into the kitchen. "Josh?" 

"Yeah." He called. 

She followed him, and leaned against one of the counters. "What happened with  
the gun bill, Josh?" 

"Nothing." 

"Joshua." 

He sighed as he scooped coffee into the percolator. "We're going to have to  
dial it down some." 

"How much?" 

"Enough to where it won't really matter if we pass it or not. It won't make any  
significant difference, but it still looks good on paper." He looked at her.   
Donna knew how much he hated this. Almost every time it seemed he was going to  
be able to make a significant difference, something always jumped up and seemed  
to bite him in the ass. 

"How's Toby doing with the Blue Ribbon Commission?" 

"It's still really shaky, mostly thanks to Gillette, but it's taken off,  
nonetheless." He put on a small saucepan of water to boil for the macaroni and  
cheese, and leaned against the counter opposite so he could face her. "I've got  
some good news, though." 

"Hmm?" 

"Joey Lucas, TIME, and a few other sources have gotten some great numbers on  
the Violence Against Women Act." 

"Is that why the First Lady was going to San Francisco?" 

"Yeah, she and some prominent NOW members are giving speeches round the  
country. Not to mention a few Hollywood actors." 

"That's great. Did you tell Joey I said thanks for the flowers?" 

"Yes." He smirked. "Still think I should ask her out?" 

"Oh, shut up. Did CJ tell everyone to order me tulips?"  
"Not directly, but she asked everyone's opinion on the daisy vs. tulip question  
before she went with Charlie's suggested compromise." 

"And we wonder why it seems like we can't get anything done in the White House  
when CJ can't even order flowers without consulting the polls." 

Josh laughed. "That is so true that it's not even funny." 

"Kind of scary, isn't it?" 

"You think?" Josh glanced at the water that hadn't boiled. "Oh, I forgot to  
tell you. The DNC found a replacement for PR consultant." 

Donna raised an eyebrow. "They finally gave up hope that Mandy Hampton would  
come back from LA?" 

"Yeah. Teri Graham." Josh grinned. "I like her. She's got a temperament to  
match her red hair and Scottish lineage. Hell, she could probably give Lionel  
Tribbey a run for his money." He poured the noodles into the boiling water.   
"Undergraduate degree from UMBC, and a law degree from Stanford." 

"Nice." 

"She's good, too. She worked for Governor Hable." 

"The one with the women?" 

"Yeah, but you'll notice we haven't heard so much as a peep of sex scandal out  
of Illinois since about six months ago. Guess when Graham started working for  
Hable?" 

"Six months ago." 

"You're a quick one. You'll like her." 

"I think I'd like anyone other than Mandy Hampton." 

Josh grinned. "Yeah." 

Donna smiled. "I'll get the bowls." 

"Okay." 

TO BE CONCLUDED 

 


	6. Lifelines 6

 

SEE PART ONE FOR INFO  
PART 6  
CONCLUSION

  


Donna sighed as the hot water from the shower ran down her back. It felt so  
good to be able to stand in a real shower. She noticed that Edith had disposed  
of all the Lilac Breeze stuff and replaced it with 'Cool Citrus Basil', which  
Donna had to admit she liked better anyway. 

She shut off the water, wrapped her hair up in a towel, and threw on her  
bathrobe. Feeling a little tired, she sat on the edge of the bathtub for  
moment. Donna sighed, and she remembered that the last time she'd been in her  
bathroom was the night of Clarence's party... 

Something inside her finally gave way, and Donna doubled over as all the tears  
she didn't shed in the hospital came forward. She didn't know how long she was  
like that, only that it must have been awhile because there was a knock on the  
bathroom door. 

"Donna?" It was Josh's voice. 

She couldn't speak, couldn't find her voice. But she looked up as the door  
opened � she wasn't used to locking it � and Josh came in. She still couldn't  
speak, but kept crying. It was like a dam inside her had been broken, and she  
couldn't stop the flood of emotion. 

Josh silently scooped her up into his arms and carried her into the bedroom,  
where he set her gently on the bed and handed her a box of tissues. He sat  
beside her, pulled her back into his arms and just held her while she cried. If  
Donna had been able to speak, she would've told him how much that meant to her,  
how much she loved him right then, and how she didn't think she'd be able to get  
through this without him. 

But even as Donna clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably, some part of her knew  
that she didn't have to say it. It was evident in the way he stroked her back,  
in the whispered words of comfort he gave. 

He knew.

  


The rest of the night was uneventful. Josh had been afraid that Donna would  
have nightmares. He knew all too well how terrible they were, how their terror  
seemed inescapable. How they pulled you back to the horror you'd lived through  
relentlessly, and it seemed that they would never release you. 

But Donna didn't have any nightmares that night. Josh knew because he held her  
all night long, just in case she needed him. Some part of his brain recognized  
that it was the first time in a long time that he'd slept in the same bed as a  
woman (not related to him) without making love to her. The only other time had  
been Jane Harold, his best friend at Harvard. And Jane had been a lesbian,  
anyway, and it was the night her father died. Briefly he wondered what had ever  
happened to Jane. 

"Josh?" Donna rolled over. 

"I'm here." He stroked her shoulder. 

"What time is it?" 

"Six in the morning." 

"You should go in today." 

"Okay," he said. "I will in a little bit." 

Donna smiled at him. "I'd kiss you, but I have morning breath." 

"So do I." 

"Well in that case..." Donna reached up and pulled his face down to hers for  
their first 'real kiss'. 

Josh was sure somewhere there were fireworks going off. 

He reluctantly pulled away. "I don't think you're quite strong enough for this  
yet." 

"I know." 

"I love you." 

"I know that, too." She smiled again and sat up, pointing to the door. "Go get  
ready." 

"And what are you going to do?" 

"I'm going to watch you get dressed." 

"Donna!" He was not blushing. 

She shrugged. "There's no harm in looking, even if I can't touch yet." 

"Donna!" 

She gave in and laughed. "I'll make breakfast." She sobered and looked at  
him. "I think you earned the right to a cup of coffee last night. Thank you." 

He leaned over and kissed her forehead. That was becoming one of his favorite  
activities. "You never have to thank me. We do this together, Donna." 

"Yeah. I love you." 

"I know." 

Donna laughed, and pointed towards the shower. "Go." 

He smiled. "Going." 

Josh watched Donna throw on her robe and scuffle to the kitchen while he  
grabbed towels for the shower. Despite all their pain, despite everything that  
had tried to keep them apart, they were together. He couldn't help but marvel  
at the feeling of permanence this thing between them had. He realized at that  
moment that a life without Donnatella Moss in it was completely unimaginable to  
him at that point. As new and unexpected the feeling was, Josh cherished it.   
For some reason, some part of him had never believed that he could find the sort  
of happiness his father had told him he'd felt when he first met the woman that  
would become Josh's mother. 

He had never been more grateful in his life that he'd been wrong. 

Donna watched Josh enter the bathroom, towels draped over one arm. She almost  
felt like crying again, but for a completely different reason. She realized  
something then; that she and Josh were connected by more than just their  
feelings for each other. As much as she loved her parents, as much as they were  
supportive, it was Josh she really turned to now. And it was Josh that had held  
her while she cried, Josh that had been the stability last night when it felt  
like her world had shifted beneath her feet. Though she'd known for a while how  
she'd felt about him, Donna had never really thought that anything would ever  
come of it. 

Boy, was she glad she'd been wrong. 

There are people in our lives, she thought, who we hold on to. People who in  
one way or another toss us lifelines. Whether it's a word, or a look, or  
something more, something greater, it saves us. It pulls us back into the air  
when it feels as though we're drowning in an unfamiliar sea. I tossed him a  
lifeline when it seemed as though he was drowning in his own pain and shadows,  
she thought, and when I was thrown overboard right beside him, he shared it with  
me. He became my lifeline, while I was still his. She shook her head as she  
came to another realization: We'll drown without each other.

THE END


End file.
